fountain



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. V FOUNTAIN.

Watchmans Time Deteoter.

No. 239,478. Patented March 29,1881.

Ill

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

V. FOUNTAIN.

Watchmans Time Deteoter.

Patented March 29,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VINCENT FOUNTAIN, OF STAPLETON, NEW YORK.

WATCH MANS TlME-DETECTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,478, dated March 29, 1881.

Application filed January 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VINCENT FOUNTAIN, of Stapleton, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Detectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in time-detecters; and it consists in the combination, with an ordinary clock, of a mechanism which is operated directly by the wheel on the spring-shaft, and a vertically-revolving' cylinder, which is provided with a timelist, upon which the watchmen or persons on duty shall be compelled to write their names every hour or half-hour, or at any other stipulated time, and a lever or rod, which catches in a groove made in the shaft of the cylinder, for the purpose of holding the cylinder in position, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for detecting whether watchmen remain awake and attend to their duties or sleep upon their posts, and to provide the detecter with a vertically-revolvin g cylinder which has a timelist secured to it, so that the watchmen will have to write their names and numbers at regular intervals. I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the detecter complete, showing the time-list secured in position upon the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the rod or lever which holds the cylinder in place.

A represents a clock, of any shape, size, or construction that may be preferred, and which has secured upon the same shaft as the driving-spring a large driving-wheel, B, and this wheel operates my detecter. The mechanism of my detecter is placed upon one side of this wheel, and the clock mechanism is placed upon the other, and both machines are operated at the same time. By means of this arrangement a simple and cheaper construction for driving the detecter can be used, and with much less friction.

Meshing with the driving-wheel B is a pinion, 0, upon the shaft D, and which shaft has secured to it a large gear wheel, E, which meshes with a pinion, F, upon the shaft G, which operates the detecter. This shaft is provided with a worm, I, which meshes with a large spur-wheel, J, upon the shaft L of the vertically-revolvin g cylinder N. This cylinder may be made of any desired size, and is intended to be inclosed in a case of any suitable description, and which case will have a slot made in it immediately over the top of the cylinder, just large enough to allow the watchmen to write their names upon the time-list O, which is secured to the outer side of the cylinder. This frame may have a cover, which shuts down over its top, and be provided with a lock and key, so that only the watchmen can have access to the cylinder. The time-list is made just long enough to pass around the cylinder and have its ends overlap and be pressed down over the points I, which project from the cylinder, and then looked in place by means of a fiat perforated bar or plate, Q, which extends along over the top of the cylinder, and which bar is fastened at one end by means of a permanent fastening, S, and a spring-fastening, '1, at the other end. This time-list is divided into a number of spaces for the name and number of each watchman on duty, and opposite each one of these spaces are numbered the hours or half-hours, as may be desired. This list has numbered upon it all of the hours from seven oclock p. m. to eight 21. m. next mornin As the cylinder is constantly revolved by the clock-work, if the watchman is not at the detecter in time to register his name and number as his space passes under the slot the time-list will have passed on, and thus show whether or not he was attending to his proper duties.

The great advantage in having a time-slip on which the watchman will have to write his name is, that his signature being known, it will be instantly detected if he has some one mark the detecter for him instead of being there in person.

In order to enable the cylinder to be moved in gear with the wormshaft, so as to set it in motion, the cylinder is provided with a longer shaft than is necessary, so that it maybe moved laterally, and thus be thrown in and out of gear with the shaft, as may be desired.

When it is necessary to remove the time-list and substitute another, the inclosing-i'rame, which is placed over the cylinder, can be removed, the holding-lever V raised out of the slot that is made in the shaft, and then the cylinder pushed far enough to one side to be free from its driving-shaft. After the new time-list has been put on the cylinder it is only necessary to move the cylinder laterally until its Wheel can mesh with the worm and draw the holding-lever back in the slot, and the detecter is again ready for use.

Heretofore there have been a number of time-detecters used in which it is necessary for the watchman to stick a peg into a small hole at certain times; but as any one can stick in the pegs there is nothing by which it can be detected whether the watchman was regularly on duty or not; and my invention is speciall y intended to overcome this defect by having watchmen sign their own names, so that any fraud or deception can be instantly deteoted.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- In a time detector, the vertically moving cylinder having a time-list secured to it, a wheel for meshing with the worm-shaft, and a slot in its driving-shaft, with a holding-lever for locking the cylinder in gear with the driving-shaft, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

VINCENT FOUNTAIN. Witnesses:

DANIL Y. CORNEL, GEORGE CHAMBERS. 

